


walk me home

by twoorangecookies



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Bonding, Canon, F/F, brief mention of suicidal ideation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 18:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19300939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twoorangecookies/pseuds/twoorangecookies
Summary: It's been over a week since Kimberly Hart became a Power Ranger, and she's doing her best to roll with the punches, but one night after training she's feeling a little more vulnerable so she asks her teammate to walk her home. It's just a coincidence that it's Trini she asks; a girl that she can't seem to get out of her mind.





	walk me home

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is set to Walk Me Home by P!nk. I heard it and immediately knew I had to write this for it. Strongly encourage you to listen to it either while reading or after you read, because it's perfect.
> 
> Set early-mid movie, just my take on canon. Enjoy!

Kimberly stood just outside the pool of water and ran her fingers through her hair to shake the water out of it. It was a cool night, which wasn’t out of place for California, and she felt a chill through her wet clothes.

 

“Hey! Watch where you’re shakin’,” came a small, angry voice. A voice Kim had quickly grown to like.

 

She smirked and didn’t turn to face Trini. “Move out of my way if you don’t like it,” she answered smartly.

 

“Your hair is short now. It’ll be dry in, like, two minutes.” Trini appeared at her side and glared up at her. The girl had bruises and cuts on her face that Kim knew wouldn’t last. Which then brought her thoughts back to what they had been doing, and she sobered.

 

“Yeah, sorry,” she said.

 

“Sorry?” Trini frowned. “Just like that? We had a good thing goin’, Hart.”

 

“Trini, are you scared?”

 

“Of you?” Trini snorted. “Right.”

 

“Of Rita.”

 

Trini’s jaw set. “That old witch don’t scare me either.”

 

Kim stared at Trini, watched her jaw work, her neck muscles twitch, and she knew that Trini was scared, too. She sighed and turned to watch the boys walk away towards town, only Billy turning back to glance at them and wave. She brought her hand up and smiled grimly at him. “Walk me home?”

 

“You need a personal escort now?”

 

“No. A friend.”

 

Trini was quiet, then she pulled her wet beanie onto her head and nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

 

The two walked quietly for a bit and Kim thought over the days that had passed. Becoming Power Rangers, learning about Rita and her plan, and starting to train. They still weren’t very good, and they still couldn’t access their armour, and Kim wondered if it was all in vain. She knew why she was doing it, why she was trying so hard, but could she really find redemption? Especially if they weren’t really Power Rangers? 

 

She walked, and didn’t realize she was chewing her lip or glaring ahead of them. Trini noticed because Trini, quiet Trini, spoke up. 

 

“Gonna pierce a hole in your lip. But maybe that’s what you’re goin’ for. Adds to the whole short hair, leather jacket thing.”

 

Kim stopped in her tracks and looked at Trini with a frown. “What?”

 

Trini raised a brow. “Got somethin’ on your mind, Princess?”

 

“I’m not a princess,” Kim huffed. Not anymore, at least.

 

“Didn’t answer my question.”

 

“What do you care?”

 

“You needed a friend to walk you home, isn’t this what friends do?”

 

That made Kim go silent for a moment. It was true, she did ask for Trini’s companionship. She wasn’t sure why exactly. She wasn’t sure why Trini intrigued her, or why she wanted to get to know Trini so well, or why she constantly felt a need to be  _ near _ Trini. Whenever it wasn’t Ty and Amanda plaguing her mind, it was Trini. 

 

“What if we can’t do it?” She asked, looking over Trini’s head. “What if...we’re not Power Rangers?”

 

“But...we are.”

 

“Not without our suits.”

 

“Bullshit. We’re puttin’ in the effort, aren’t we?”

 

“Why are you doing it?” The question that had been burning inside of her for a long time. Why? Why, after literally running from them, did Trini want to join them? “Every chance you had to run, you took, now you’re not running. Why?” Her gaze dropped to Trini’s eyes.

 

Trini glared, her cute pout coming out (  _ cute pout _ ? come on, Kimberly, focus ), and she grumbled. “None of your business.”

 

“Aren’t we friends?”

“You used the word friend, not me,” Trini said stubbornly. “We’re more like...co-workers.”

 

“I think we’re friends,” Kim said, deciding it for herself. She nodded. 

 

“I think you’re nuts.” Trini started walking again and Kim moved to keep up.

 

“Doesn’t it trip you up that a few days ago the biggest threat out there to us was college, and now...now the entire universe has opened up to us, and there’s Rita, and-and who knows what else! Doesn’t that scare you?!” Kim sounded more excited than she needed to be. 

 

“Of course it does,” Trini replied after a moment. “I know that doofus calls me Crazy Girl, but I’m not crazy.”

 

“I didn’t think you were,” Kim said softly. That made Trini pause and look at her. “What?”

 

“Everyone thinks I’m crazy. You chased me up a cliff.”

 

“Then I guess I’m just as crazy as you.”

 

Trini snorted. “Got that right.”

 

“So, are you doing it because you’re scared of what’s out there?” Kim pressed on.

 

“No,” Trini answered. She looked annoyed for a minute, but then it softened to mild disturbance. “I’m doin’ it because it’s the right thing to do. I wanna save Angel Grove.”

 

Kim watched Trini cross her arms and hug herself while she stared at the ground. “I’m doing it to be a better person,” Kim said softly.

 

“What’s that mean?” Trini looked up at her, squinting.

 

“It means…” She laughed softly and shook her head. She didn’t know why she was talking to Trini, a girl she barely knew, but...something made her feel like telling Trini everything. “It means I’m not a good person.”

 

“Because you lost your spot on the squad? Get a life,” Trini said with an eye roll. She started to walk again, but stopped when Kim spoke.

 

“It’s my fault that picture of Amanda got around school.” And she knew Trini knew about it. Everyone knew about it.

 

“Come again?” Trini asked, turning to face Kim.

 

“I was pissed off and I sent it to Ty, and he sent it to the whole school.”

 

“There is...literally so much here to process.” Trini held up a hand. “Why would you do that? And why did you  _ have _ it? And why would you ever date that lunchbox?”

 

Kim took a deep breath at the barrage of questions. She still didn’t have all the answers. Or, she wasn’t admitting the truth of some of those answers to herself. It was her turn to wrap her arms around herself and she made herself look at Trini when she spoke to her. “Ty slept with Amanda. My best friend. And I had the picture because sometimes she sent me pictures to...approve. I couldn’t tell you why he sent her picture out. Why I dated him...I don’t know. I guess I thought he was  _ the _ guy to date.”

 

Trini nodded and took a few steps closer to Kim. “Okay...not the best way to get back at someone...like, at all. Possibly the worst way to get back at someone. And, I’m sorry, but who sends their best friend their sexts before they send ‘em off? The guy, huh? Imma hafta trust you on that.”

 

“I know. It...it was a terrible thing to do. I regretted it the second I sent it, but...sometimes I get so angry I can’t stop myself from doing something. Like...I  _ have _ to do it.”

 

“Those are called impulses,” Trini nodded. “We all get them, but we learn to control them.”

 

“I guess I haven’t learned that yet,” Kim sighed. “I’m...pretty much the worst person in this town.” Her eyes fell. “I’m the worst, Trini.”

 

Trini stepped even closer and shook her head. “Nah, not the worst. There’s that guy at the pier that likes to flash people. I think he’s the worst.”

 

Kim laughed, then covered her mouth. It felt wrong to laugh when she was opening up in such a way. Talking about something so terrible. “I’ve hated myself so much,” she said, her laughter turning into a soft sob. “Some days I didn’t...I didn’t want to live.”

 

“Hey, hey…” Trini placed a hand to Kim’s arm. “What you did was bad, but it doesn’t deserve all that, okay? Yeah, regret it. Seek forgiveness over it. But don’t ruin yourself over it. You sent it to Ty, but  _ he  _ sent it to everyone else.”

 

“He never would have had it if I hadn’t-”

 

“Suck it up,” Trini said, her voice a bit harsh. Kim looked up in surprise and opened her mouth, but Trini kept going. “You’re a freakin’ Power Ranger now. There’s no way you could be the worst person in the world and be a Power Ranger. That coin found you.”

 

“What if it was a mistake?” She asked, the question that had been burning in her mind for days. “What if...I’m the reason we can’t morph?”

“Then I say, get your shit together so we can,” Trini said simply. She reached up and brushed her hand to Kim’s cheek to wipe away the tears. “There’s no crying in Power Rangers.”

 

That made Kim smile slightly and she nodded. “Thank you, Trini.”

 

“For what?”

 

“Being...a good friend.”

 

“Oh, so now we’re  _ good _ friends? I missed that part.” Trini took her hand back.

 

“You’re such a smart ass.”

 

“Should you be thinking about your good friend’s ass?”

 

“I wasn’t!” Kimberly started to protest but saw Trini smirking. She rolled her eyes. “Asshole. Walk me home.”

 

“Right this way, m’lady,” Trini said with a dramatic bow.

 

“I’m regretting  _ this _ right now.”

 

“Want me to go home?” Trini stood up and pointed a thumb over her shoulder. “If you don’t need me-”

 

“No, you’re walking me home,” Kim said. She grabbed Trini’s hand and tugged her along the path, both girls laughing and forgetting to let go of one another. They walked for a bit, their laughter died, and both became acutely aware of the fact that they still held hands. Trini stared down at their hands, but Kim stared forward. She was anxious, worried that Trini would pull away. She didn’t want her to. She liked the fit of Trini’s hand in hers, and it calmed her.

 

“Uhh, Kimberly…” Trini started to tug her hand free, and Kim let her go.

 

“Sorry,” Kim murmured.

 

“It’s...okay,” Trini said in a funny voice. She cleared her throat.

 

The two walked on, their hands occasionally brushing together, and they looked at each other then quickly looked away again each time. Kim turned where they needed to turn, and Trini kept at her side.

 

“I want my parents to be proud,” Trini spoke up softly.

 

“What?” Kim turned to look at her.

 

“You heard me,” Trini grumbled. She kept her eyes on her feet. “I don’t...do much...to make them proud.”

 

“Okay, but, they won’t know, will they? I mean, you can’t tell them.”

 

“I know. It’s...it’s dumb. I just feel like...if they did know, they’d be proud. And...maybe that’s enough.”

 

Kim was impressed at how many words Trini had used. She nodded. “I think they would be. I don’t know them, but...you’re pretty impressive.”

 

Trini snorted. “Me? Nah.”

 

“Totally. You’re...feisty.”

 

“Small but feisty,” Trini said with a smirk, bringing her gaze up to Kim’s.

 

“Yeah…” Kim got lost in Trini’s eyes for a moment. The color so hypnotizing and the way it seemed to change from every angle...oh god, it was a crush. She had a crush on Trini. That’s what this was. Not again, Kim.

 

“Which one’s you?”

 

“Huh?” Kim shook herself out of it and looked around. “Oh, here. The next one.” She led Trini up to the end of her driveway and stopped. Trini stopped with her and shoved her hands in her back pockets. “So...thanks.”

 

“So...you’re welcome,” Trini teased. Kim made a face at her. 

 

“I really appreciate it. I hope...nothing got weird between us.”

 

“What would get weird?” Trini asked, her voice casual. She looked away, up at Kimberly’s house. “Big house.”

 

“Big, empty house,” Kim sighed, digging out her keys.

 

“Parents not home tonight?”

 

“As usual,” Kim shrugged.

 

“You...gonna be okay?”

 

“I think I can handle myself,” Kim said. She really didn’t want to say goodnight to Trini. She really didn’t.

 

“Okay then. I’ll just go.” Trini nodded her head awkwardly. “So...bye.”

 

“Bye,” Kim said with a wave. She forced a smile and started up her driveway. She was almost at the front porch when she heard someone run up behind her, and she spun around into a fighting stance, her heart pounding. It was Trini. Her hands were up in the air in surrender.

 

“Sorry,” she said.

 

“Oh god,  _ Trini _ . What are you doing?”

 

“Well...I was just thinkin’...you have this empty house and I don’t like going home...maybe I can crash here tonight? We gotta go train in the morning anyway so like…”

 

Kim smiled. “Yeah, you can stay here tonight.” She was elated. She walked up the porch steps, Trini behind her, and unlocked the door to let them in. “Welcome,” she said, sweeping a hand out.

 

Trini walked in and looked around, letting out a low whistle. “Nice place, Hart.”

 

“Thanks.” Kim tossed her keys down and her bag on the floor. “Want something to drink? Eat?”

 

“Drink,” Trini nodded. “Whatever you’re having.”

 

Kim walked over to her father’s liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of rum, took the cap off, and took a long swig. She held it out to Trini.

 

“Oh. Uh. Okay, didn’t know that’s what you meant.” She shrugged. “I’m game.” She stepped forward and took the bottle and took a sip. As she did, Kim walked across the room and sat down on the couch, so Trini followed and handed the bottle back. 

 

“So, what brought you to Angel Grove anyway? I mean, I know, you didn’t just move here,” Kim said, eyes rolling at the last part. God, she was an idiot. It wasn’t like she hadn’t noticed Trini before, she had. But somehow all those words about just transferring in and getting their class wrong just came out. She was a bi disaster, that was for sure.

 

“Um…” Trini leaned back and stretched her legs out. “My parents. Whenever they think a town isn’t the right fit, or not family-friend enough or whatever, they move us.”

 

“Oh...that sucks,” Kim said.

 

“Yeah, it sucks,” Trini repeated. She took the bottle from Kim’s hand and drank from it. “You been here your whole life?”

 

“Yup,” Kim sighed. “Angel Grove lifer.”

 

“You’ll get out,” Trini told her.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“You will.”

 

“Depends on this whole Power Ranger thing, I guess. Zordon didn’t exactly tell us if there’s a service term or anything.”

 

Trini laughed, bottle at her lips, and she snorted out rum. She cried out and held her nose, and Kim laughed at her as she took the bottle away.

 

“Might have to cut you off,” Kim told her.

 

“Hey, that was all your fault,” Trini replied, still chuckling.

 

Kim liked seeing Trini laugh. She liked seeing Trini train, kick putty ass, and she liked seeing Trini soft, laughing. It was two opposite ends of the Trini spectrum, and Kim got to see both. She tore her eyes from Trini when she realized she’d been staring too long and she drank from the bottle. They sat quietly for a long time, just passing the bottle back and forth, and when Kim felt good and tipsy, warm all over, Trini spoke up.

 

“Do you really think you’re the reason we can’t morph?”

 

“Yeah,” Kim answered honestly. “Zordon keeps telling us we have to...I don’t know, be one with each other and connect…” Kim smirked grimly at herself. “But how can we when I haven’t been honest with everyone?”

 

“You don’t have to,” Trini said. “You didn’t have to tell me and you don’t have to tell the guys. That shit is your business.”

 

“But...they think I’m someone I’m not.”

 

“You’re exactly who they think you are,” Trini said, leaning her head closer. “The kick-ass, funny, pretty Pink Ranger.”

 

Kim tilted her head, a small smile on her lips, and she glanced at Trini who was so close Kim could touch her. “You think I’m pretty?”

 

“What?” Trini paled. “No. I never said that.”

 

“You just said it.”

 

“Did not. You’re hearin’ things,” Trini frowned and pulled back.

 

Kim was disappointed, but she didn’t stop staring at Trini. “You think I’m all those things?”

 

“You’re the most popular girl in school,” Trini said slowly. “And you need  _ me _ to feed your ego?”

 

Dropping her eyes to her lap, Kim shook her head. “No one in that place knows me.”

 

“You ever let them?”

 

“Do you?” Kim shot back.

 

“No,” Trini admitted. “But I don’t want anyone to.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Just don’t, jeez,” Trini huffed.

 

“So that it’ll be easier when you move again?” Kim watched Trini’s profile. Trini’s jaw clenched and her lashes fluttered, but she didn’t say anything. “I’m sorry,” Kim relented after a moment. “That wasn’t fair.”

 

“Wasn’t...untrue either,” Trini mumbled.

 

“Maybe we should put up the booze and go to sleep,” Kim said, getting to her feet. She wobbled for a moment but put the bottle away and walked back to the couch. Trini had kicked off her shoes and laid across it. “Want a blanket?”

 

“Sure,” Trini said.

 

Kim went upstairs and found a light blanket and a pillow and carried them downstairs for Trini. She set them on Trini’s feet. “Well...goodnight, I guess.”

 

“Goodnight, Princess,” Trini responded sleepily.

 

“I’m not a princess,” Kim answered, a smile on her lips. There was no response so Kim walked back to the stairs, and she was about to go up them, but her damn impulses hit her again. Before she could think about stopping herself, she walked over to the couch and crouched in front of Trini. She brushed her hair back from her face, at which Trini opened her eyes and opened her mouth to say something, but Kim cut her off with a short, soft kiss on her lips. “Goodnight,” she whispered again. Then she got up and went upstairs, feeling proud of herself. It was only once she reached her room that she realized how much she  _ shouldn’t _ have just done that. She threw herself on her bed and groaned. But, oh, Trini’s lips had been so very soft.

 

It took Kim a long time to fall asleep.

 

When she woke up, Trini was gone. The blanket and pillow were folded neatly on the couch.

 

And later that night, when she saw the scratch marks across Trini’s soft neck, Kim wanted to  _ kill _ Rita Repulsa.


End file.
